Brady, who spoke with reporters Monday after practice, delivered that line with a smile. He didn't commit to wearing the brace in future practices, saying, "Sometimes when you wear the brace a lot, then you get used to wearing the brace. I like to keep a nice strong leg and if it wasn't strong, something bad would have happened."

Brady also shared a wider perspective on how he views the game at this stage of his career.

"After what happened to me in 2008, I love coming out to practice and playing. Nothing is as exciting as that for me," he said. "I take every day and I enjoy it, because there's no place I'd rather be."